BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Who says books have to be lightweight to be entertaining? Or that we switch off our brains when summer arrives?

Here are five quality reads -- all well crafted, all quite compelling -- that won’t cause intellectual embarrassment if they start spilling out of a beach bag. Prices listed are for print editions. Of course, the books are available in digital form, for the e-reader of your choice.

“Arcadia,” by Lauren Groff, Voice, $25.99 hardcover.

Resist the urge to sniff this book. It really doesn’t smell like pot and patchouli, freshly baked bread and vegan tofu pie. The author’s language is so evocative and precise, readers will swear they’re having sensory experiences. The storyline, centered on a commune in upstate New York, is told by Bit Stone, born to hippie parents who hope to build a self-sufficient Utopia during the 1960s and ‘70s. Reality doesn’t match their dreams, however, and when the Arcadia commune implodes, the highly observant narrator is left to his own devices in the outside world. Groff’s graceful novel is exquisitely detailed, and she tackles some big themes: loyalty, leadership, community, the essential nature of family.

It’s probably a good idea to read all three finalists for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. They were snubbed in the end by an indecisive Pulitzer committee, who declined to award the prize this year. Shock and outrage ensued in the literary world. So, we might as well decide for ourselves -- and for practicality’s sake, let’s start with the shortest book in the trio. “Train Dreams,” a deeply felt piece of fiction, traces the ordinary, extraordinary life of Robert Grainier (1886-1968). He’s a rough-and-tumble logger in the American West, shouldering strife and making his way from one century to the next. In just 116 pages, Johnson offers readers a fully realized character and presents a powerful, simply told story.

“In One Person,” by John Irving, Simon & Schuster, $28 hardcover.

Wrestling. Bears. The writer’s inner life. Vienna and Vermont. Cross-dressing and gender-bending. Should readers be surprised that Irving returns to these touchstones in his new book? They’ve been part of his imaginary realm from the start, fully introduced to the public in Irving’s 1982 breakthrough, “The World According to Garp.” Subsequent novels have proved that he’s obsessive about such themes, although they’ve been tucked into diverse plots populated by wildly creative characters. This time, Irving focuses on a bisexual protagonist, Billy Abbott, who’s struggling to express his dual nature, and longs for acceptance. His fanciful journey is like an tale from Dickens, with a big heart and a 20th century twist.

Believe it: Here’s a young-adult novel without a vampire, werewolf or fantasy character in sight.
Instead, there’s a teenage girl with terminal cancer -- and yes, the cute guy she meets in a support group.
That summary may sound like a trite downer, but in Green’s hands, the story is more like an emotional revelation. Hazel Lancaster and Augustus Waters fall in love despite their differences; she’s a whip-smart loner and he’s an athletic dreamboat. The first piece of common ground might be their illnesses, but the two develop a fast friendship that grows and deepens. It’s a lovely tale, written with insight and empathy.
There’s humor, too, as the characters find joy in the time they have left and face looming tragedy.

The former columnist for The New York Times takes on a sensitive subject in her new memoir: women getting older. Doesn’t our culture tell us we’re supposed to be ingenues forever, constantly striving to regain youth and retain the looks we had in our 20s? Quindlen, 59, is having none of that. In sparkling and thoughtful prose -- two of her hallmarks as a journalist and novelist -- she celebrates the passage of time and discusses the pleasures of maturity. Among her topics: working out, wardrobe, marriage, children, girlfriends, possessions, self-knowledge. The latter is most important, obviously, and Quindlen helps readers to understand that aging can bring increased confidence, a more carefree spirit and the knowledge that things usually turn out OK.